... was out west a few weeks back and spent all our available time off-roading and hiking throughout the 'Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR)'...
... here's a map of the refuge... simply put, "...the DNWR encompasses 1.6 million acres and is the largest refuge outside of Alaska..." - here's a link to their very good video which explains it all... west of the the refuge borders the off-limits 'Nellis and Indian Springs Air Base Range' and location of the infamous 'Yucca Flat' (previous) nuclear testing range...
...the refuge encompasses the 'Sheep Range' mountains (around El 10,000ft) and is the largest home for 'Desert Bighorn Sheep' in the US...
... our wandering was limited to the area of the southern Sheep Range - roaming the eastern 'Yucca Forest' and west on up to 'Joe May Canyon' (all around El 5,000ft)...
... the Sheep Range viewing east along 'Joe May Road'...
... 'Yucca Gap'...
... 'Fossil Ridge'...
... Fossil Ridge limestone rock...
... high peaks of the southern Sheep Range...
... viewing west thru Yucca Gap, across the low desert 'Indian Springs Valley' with the distant 'Spring Mountain Range' framing the horizon...
... a bit more distant Yucca Gap and Fossil Ridge - that's the landmark 'Mummy Mountain' profiling the far horizon along the gap...
... viewing the 'Yucca Forest' and distant 'Las Vegas Range' (see map) to the east...
... more high peaks...
... white clouds, blue sky and desert...
... viewing from up around El 5000ft and the high desert...
... high desert vegetation...
... about 15 miles out viewing west and the Sheep Range - other than a few ruts and dips the travel is pretty easy (typical desert trails of gravel and cobble rocks and sand) but we'd still recommend four-wheel traction with some ground clearance - also recommend to come prepared - can be a long walk back to help in the desert heat (although sounds like fun on a cool night with full moonlight) and it could be a few days before you encounter a passer-by - and you can easily find yourself 50 to 70 miles out if ya' want - no cell phone service either (that ends in the low desert)...
... a final image viewing north across the 'Yucca Forest' and the northern Sheep Range...
... winding down a week of vacation time yesterday - grabbed a camera and took a trail ride up along the ridge to see what kind of photo opportunities we'd encounter - also wanted to work out the gear box on the daily driver KJ as it doesn't get a lot of use off pavement...
... about three miles out we came upon this patch of 'LBM's'...
... 'Little Brown Mushrooms'...
... boy - havin' a heck of a time identifying these things - in fact, we can't...
... could they be the 'Deadly Galerina'?...
... "just one pinch from the cap of the Deadly Galerina carries enough toxin to kill five men"...
... don't know...
... a bit later and higher up on the ridge...
... a big 'Timber Rattlesnake'...
... our second time up there this Spring and the second rattler in as many trips - he was on the move (must have had a date), only pausing long enough to warn us with a quick buzz or two - he was quick and soon to be into the tall grass - didn't get the best images focus-wise because of the combination bright sunlight and shadows and not much time...
... he was a big one - four feet and some inches and fat - nice colors...
... an interesting combination of potential death...
... was a warm day, temperature in the low 90's - very warm for early Spring around here... while cruising up on the ridge we came across this yellow phase Timber Rattlesnake...
... watch your step!... doesn't need much cover...
... pretty good size - about 3ft with some girth... he was lying just off to the side of the trail - buzzed the vehicle as we drove by (believe it or not) - they're ultra-sensitive to ground vibrations (which is a good thing - they'll usually give ya' a step or two warning before accidentally planting a foot on them) - would never had been aware of him otherwise...
... sorta' missed out on the biggest portion of winter this time 'round... oh well... personally, consider this weekend to be the (unofficial) beginning of Spring in these parts... the folks out west can't complain, though...
(internet clip)
... still, can't complain 'bout Springtime... maybe next year...
... noticed that they are currently renovating the 'Donegal Lake' dam and spillway...
... Donegal Lake...
internet image
...lake conditions - Fall 2016...
... saw some on-line photos of several large 'muskellunge' ("muskies"), 'bass' and 'rainbow trout' that were removed and subsequently relocated during the process of drawing down the lake water level in preparation for the reconstruction - there were some big fish...
... used to fish the lake every opening day of PA trout season back in the day... used to do pretty well following the opening day trout stocking... also always considered that day more or less to be the official last day of winter in these parts (mid-April) as each year the ridge (around El 1500ft) produced some last, usually mild, snowfall...
... other than a bit more sleet and wind than usual, this particular day was no different... was up there early along with then brother-in-law, Randy ...set up along the shoreline at a decent hole we fished every year and we're both loaded with plenty of nightcrawlers - we're "fishin' the bottom", about twenty feet apart... man - from his first cast on Randy is pullin' out one fish after another - mostly average size 'brooks' and a few 'rainbows' as recalled - I'm not even gettin' a tug on the line - after about a half hour he's caught maybe twelve fish... after about another half hour it's becoming clear that this guy's potentially havin' the greatest fishing day of his life - he's snagged maybe another eight - think I caught one, and we're in the same spot fishing side-by-side for the most part... what the f*k?!...
... a few catches later and he's now amped and somewhat boisterous (to put it mildly) and proudly displaying his now large stringer of fish with each catch (which wasn't going unnoticed by the many others fishing this end of the lake as well - particularly the guys out in boats)...
... he's crediting his success to his "country club worms" - Randy lived right next to the local country club golf course, and the night before (and after a day of some persistent rain) he went out to the nearest putting green and gathered up a mess of what were some huge and fat nightcrawlers - he attributed their size to the nutrients and such that the club used to condition the greens and fairways (well, don't know about that)...
... eventually we got maybe eight boats that trolled into and surrounded our spot, all anchored around thirty feet offshore and all casting directly our way - a bit irritating to say the least - but as time passed they're catching nil, and Randy's still "pullin' 'em in"..."ha-ha-haaaaaaa!!! - uproarious laughter along with a display of the ample stringer with each catch...
... around 11am we've pretty much had it for the morning... final tally Randy 44, me 2 - think we eventually saw less than ten catches amongst the boats - also a few tangled lines between boats which was entertaining in itself considering the intrusion... didn't even know if you were allowed to take that many fish or not (will probably have the Fish Commission bangin' on the door tomorrow morning lookin' for an easy buck) - they were all legal size at least and nobody said anything as we were packin' out... regardless, we went back to his place and that afternoon had a pretty good impromptu grilled fish fry for all...
... personally don't think so, but maybe there's something to those "country club worms"...
... ha!... other than the ending this clip always reminds me of that day...
----------------------
... not many years after initial construction, was travelin' alone on a short two day overnight out-and-back on the 'Laurel Highland Hiking Trail' (LHHT) - Rt 653 to the 'Grindle Ridge' shelter - a little over five miles out - with the intent to set up camp early and continue on about another two miles to reach a small lake (around El 2950ft) located along the trail at the 'Seven Springs' ski area - had swam in the lake on a previous thru-hike and had noticed several large schools of panfish swimming about - always wondered what the fishing was like - packed along a three-piece pack spinning rod and some lures...
... the dashed yellow indicates the 'LHHT' trail route with mileage...
... don't know what the fishing is like now'days, but wound up spending a pretty nice afternoon hooking a few bluegills and perch before returning late evening to camp... later was settin' with feet danglin' off a short split-log creek crossing eatin' a can of chicken noodle soup when I accidentally dropped a piece of chicken into the shallow water - a large crayfish immediately charged from hiding and started devouring the chicken - I tossed 'em a few more pieces and soon had a whole squad (or whatever ya' call a half-dozen crayfish) battling over the meat - they got pretty vicious with one another... had the entire campground to myself that night as planned - went mid-week when I knew it would be empty... a lone hoot-owl to lull ya' to sleep at 9pm followed later by an abrupt screeching bobcat (?) to scare ya' sh*tless awake at 3am...
... in all, a pretty nice short trip along the trail with no need to shuttle vehicles...
... a "genuine" shrunken head from Ecuador we recently received...
... photographed this thing earlier today and was up in the studio downloading the images - returned to the makeshift photography stand (which we threw together quickly and was a bit wobbly) and paused - holy sh*t!! - where'd it go!? - turned up the lights - HA! - there it is - had "accidentally" rolled off on to the floor...
... winding down a pretty shi*ty winter (meaning no significant snow up to this point) - pretty much stuck in the 'sanctum sanctorum' for weekends on end - not much to do in the rain... f*k cleaning and that sort of thing (until it gets too out of hand) - reading, workin' out and watchin' a lot of old Pirate movies - 'Errol Flynn' is one badass Pirate and those are some "well built" babes from back in the 40's and 50's...
(internet image)
...'Against All Flags'...
... also too much time to set around and ponder the "meaning of it all", as we occasionally do...
